Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson finds himself in yet another slump at the plate, but the two-time All-Star remains as confident as ever.
Anderson will look to build some momentum when the White Sox face the host Cleveland Guardians in the rubber match of a three-game series on Wednesday.
Anderson went 1-for-5 in Chicago’s 4-2 win over the Guardians on Tuesday night, and he has three hits in 21 at-bats over the past six games. He is hitting .244 with no home runs in 127 at-bats overall.
Chicago manager Pedro Grifol said he has no plans to move Anderson from the leadoff spot.
“I’m always a glass-half-full guy with guys that have done it before,” Grifol said. “He’s an (at-bat) away, a game away from taking off and hitting .320 the rest of the year. I’m not concerned, I’m not panicked. I don’t think about it too much.”
Chicago, which has won four of its past five games, will be without Luis Robert Jr. in the series finale. The center fielder left the Tuesday game after the eighth inning due to right hip tightness, and Grifol said Robert is listed as day-to-day.
Cleveland, which has lost six of its past eight, will turn to right-hander Cal Quantrill (2-2, 4.06 ERA) on Wednesday. He received a no-decision after allowing three runs over 5 2/3 innings against the New York Mets on Friday.
After posting a 5.40 ERA in his first five starts, Quantrill has recorded a 2.77 ERA across 26 innings in his past four outings.
Anderson is 7-for-17 against the 28-year-old Quantrill, who is 2-1 with a 2.87 ERA in 10 career games (six starts) against the White Sox.
Right-hander Michael Kopech (2-4, 4.83 ERA) will take the mound for Chicago. He turned in his best performance of the season on Friday, allowing one hit and no walks over eight scoreless innings while striking out 10 in a 2-0 win over the Kansas City Royals.
“I was able to find something that clicked, both physically and mentally,” Kopech said. “The main thing that I talk about with (Grifol) is being mentally in control out there. I felt like I was able to do that.”
Kopech, who retired the first 16 batters in the stellar outing, has gone 2-1 with a 2.55 ERA over his past four starts, covering 24 2/3 innings.
Jose Ramirez has been limited to one hit in eight at-bats against Kopech, who is 0-1 with a 4.61 ERA in six career appearances (two starts) vs. Cleveland.
Guardians catcher Mike Zunino went 0-for-4 on Tuesday after snapping a 1-for-31 skid with a two-run homer in Cleveland’s 3-0 win on Monday. Zunino remains optimistic despite his slow start.
“The production has not been to where I’ve wanted it, but that’s part of this game,” Zunino said. “Certain stretches get magnified, but you have to come in, keep putting the work in, keep making the adjustments you need to — and results usually come from that.”
Cleveland clearly needs more production from its lineup after scoring three runs or fewer in 30 of its 48 games.
“We talked before the game and a lot over this last month: There’s not a lot of wiggle room,” Guardians manager Terry Francona said after the Tuesday loss.
–Field Level Media
